July 2012 marks hottest month on record

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — AccuWeather.com reports July 2012 marked the hottest month on record ever for the lower 48 states, according to a report released by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Aug. 8.

With an average temperature of 77.6 degrees Fahrenheit in the contiguous U.S., the month of July surpassed the 20th century average by 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

The previous warmest July was in 1936 when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

The hottest locations in July were mostly stretched across the Midwest and central Plains, areas largely plagued by intense drought.